Comment on Do gangs that collect protection money actually do any protecting?

Acamon@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

• phoenixz@lemmy.ca ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Yeah, that is a highly romanticized and naive way of describing extortion

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  • Flax_vert@feddit.uk ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Like taxes?

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    • phoenixz@lemmy.ca ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      If you can’t see the difference between taxes and extortion then you’re either extremely naive or really really dumb… In functioning democracies, taxes are used for the good of all.

      Extortion money goes to the mob boss.

      Then again, maybe you’re American? That would explain something too, as (again) you need an actual functioning democracy for taxes to work correctly

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      • Flax_vert@feddit.uk ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Ah yes, I’m an American using the main UK based instance of Lemmy

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• Flax_vert@feddit.uk ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  But what if you realized that the ones burning your house and attacking your neighbours were the police? Then, the obvious option would be to turn to yourself and like-minded friends to create your own institution to protect the community from assault.

  This was what happened during the recent 25-year conflict

  “Recent” that happened in 1969.

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